The Detroit Pistons of the 2023-2024 season are creeping dangerously close to the NBA’s all-time abyss with every drop they add, but who holds the record for the longest losing streak in league history?
NBA fans certainly don’t have to commit much memory to remember that Philadelphia 76ers of the Process.
From 2013 to 2016, Philadelphia intentionally had one of the worst stretches for a franchise in NBA history. Designed by your GM, Sam Hinkieand trained by Brett Brown the 76ers wore the “tank“on another level.
More | The Pistons lose again and are on a 24-game losing streak: 2 shy of the record
In an effort to get the best possible draft picks and bring some talented young players into the organization, the Sixers fielded some of the worst rosters in the last two decades in the league. This was before the NBA’s new odds system, which was created to prevent more cases like this. Before, by finishing last and with the worst balance, he was practically guaranteed selection in the top three.
As a result, Philadelphia went 47-199 over three years, a winning streak that, in a single season, would normally earn a team a decent playoff spot. During that streak, “The Process” became responsible for both the worst single-season losing streak (26) and the longest losing streak (28) in NBA history.
As the Pistons get closer and closer to each of those records, it’s time to remember what the Process Sixers were like.
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The Philadelphia 76ers Story of the Process
Longest single-season losing streak in history
The 2013-2014 76ers weren’t as bad as the teams of the following two years, but they managed to lose 26 games in a row to tie the Cavaliers since LeBron James’ first start (2010-2011) for the worst streak ever of the seasons.
There were a total of 23 players who played with the Sixers that season, but there were 10 who appeared in at least 50 games, led by Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner and Michael Carter-Williams.
| Gambler | Races | Heading | Grade point average |
| Thaddeus Young | 79 | 78 | 17.9 |
| Evan Turner | 54 | 54 | 17.4 |
| Michael Carter-Williams | 70 | 70 | 16.7 |
| Tony Wroten | 72 | 16 | 13.0 |
| Spencer Hawes | 53 | 53 | 13.0 |
| James Anderson | 80 | 62 | 10.1 |
| Hollis Thompson | 77 | 41 | 6.0 |
| Elliott Williams | 67 | 2 | 6.0 |
| Lavoy Allen | 51 | 2 | 5.2 |
From January 31, 2014 to March 29, 2014, The 76ers went 57 days without a win.
They finally snapped their losing streak against the Pistons at home, beating Detroit by 25 points. Young and Carter-Williams each scored 21, while Greg Monroe led the Pistons with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The 76ers finished the season 19-63 and selected Joel Embiid with the third pick in the 2014 draft.
The beginning of the worst streak in NBA history
“The process” It really started when Embiid missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury.
The Sixers started 0-17 in 2014-2015 and then finished with a 10-game losing streak. This proved to be the beginning of the longest losing streak in NBA history.
Once again, a large number of players suited up for Philly, 10 of whom played 40 or more games where they stood out. Carter-Williams, Robert Covington, and Nerlens Noel.
| Player | Races | Heading | Grade point average |
| Michael Carter-Williams | 41 | 38 | fifteen |
| Robert Covington | 70 | 49 | 13.5 |
| Nerlens Noel | 75 | 71 | 9.9 |
| Luc Mbah a Moute | 67 | 61 | 9.9 |
| KJ McDaniels | 52 | fifteen | 9.2 |
| Hollis Thompson | 71 | 23 | 8.8 |
| Henry Sims | 73 | 32 | 8.0 |
| Jeremy Grant | 65 | eleven | 6.3 |
| JaKarr Sampson | 74 | 32 | 5.2 |
| Furkan Aldemir | 41 | 9 | 23 |
Wroten, Ish Smith, Isaiah Canaan, Thomas Robinson and Brandon Davies were some other regulars on that team that finished 18-64 on the season and that picked Jahlil Okafor at #3 in the 2015 Draft.
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The climax of the Process and its worst season
The 76ers weren’t quite ready to have Embiid in 2015-2016 due to a new foot injury, which left the team without a game direction.
Philly picked up where they left off, losing the first 18 games of the season and resulting in the longest overall losing streak in NBA history with 28 meetings.
| Player | Races | Heading | Grade point average |
| Jahlil Okafor | 53 | 48 | 17.5 |
| Ish Smith | fifty | fifty | 14.7 |
| Robert Covington | 67 | 49 | 12.8 |
| Nerlens Noel | 67 | 62 | 11.1 |
| Isaiah Canaan | 77 | 39 | 11.0 |
| Hollis Thompson | 77 | 17 | 9.8 |
| Carl Landry | 36 | 12 | 9.8 |
| Jeremy Grant | 77 | 52 | 9.7 |
| Nick Stauskas | 73 | 35 | 8.5 |
| TJ McConnell | 81 | 17 | 6.1 |
| Richaun Holmes | 51 | 1 | 5.6 |
| JaKarr Sampson | 47 | 18 | 5.1 |
| Kendall Marshall | 30 | 6 | 3.7 |
From March 27, 2015 to November 29, 2015, The 76ers went 247 days without a win.
They finally snapped their losing streak against the Lakers (2-15) at home. Covington led the way with 23 points, but five players (Grant, Noel, Okafor, Kanaan and Thompson) joined him with 10 points or more. Kobe Bryant note 20 points in their last meeting in their hometown.
After the win, the 76ers lost their next 12 games, starting the season with a magnificent 1-30 record. They finished the season a dismal 10-72, which ironically coincided with the Warriors’ 73-9 record.
The payoff: the Sixers picked Ben Simmons with the #1 pick in the 2016 Draft.
